The Committee was deeply concerned about the worsening impact of the armed conflict on children, particularly the increased recruitment and use of children by non-State armed groups, marked by disproportionate harm to Indigenous and Afro-Colombian children, and sexual violence against girls. It also raised alarm at the killing and maiming of children, including during military operations, the use of digital platforms for recruitment and exploitation. It called on Colombia to ensure that all military operations are planned and conducted in strict compliance with international law, to end the recruitment and use of children by the military and police, and to include in peace processes the immediate halt of child recruitment, as well as the release of children still associated with armed groups. It also urged stronger territorial prevention and protection measures, implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration action plan, and prompt investigations and accountability for perpetrators.
Persisting violations of children's right to life, survival and development also prompted serious concern, including remaining cases of infant and child mortality and rising deaths linked to malnutrition, preventable diseases and limited vaccination coverage, particularly affecting Indigenous children. The Committee also expressed alarm at child homicides and the large number of enforced disappearances of children. It urged Colombia to strengthen efforts to reduce infant and child mortality by addressing malnutrition and vaccination gaps, improve sanitation and hygiene to prevent preventable deaths, and take urgent, culturally sensitive measures to protect Indigenous children from acute malnutrition. It also called for emergency support for children affected by malnutrition, and measures to tackle corruption that affects access to food and water. It also called for stronger prevention and accountability measures to address homicides, illegal traffic of firearms and disappearances, including by strengthening the Urgent Search Mechanism.
Ethiopia
Regarding children in armed conflicts, the Committee expressed alarm over the significant increase in grave violations against children, including killing and maiming, sexual violence, abduction, and denial of humanitarian access. It urged Ethiopia to comply with applicable international law and to end and prevent such grave violations, and to allow timely and unimpeded humanitarian access. It also called on the State Party to urgently facilitate access to encampments to enable the identification of children and their transfer to civilian child protection actors, to hold perpetrators accountable, and to provide medical care, including reproductive health, psychosocial support and legal aid to conflict-affected children.
The Committee was seriously concerned about the high prevalence of violence against children, including domestic violence, abuse, neglect, sexual and gender-based violence, bullying and online sexual exploitation and abuse. It asked Ethiopia to adopt national comprehensive child protection legislation and to establish a national database on cases of violence against children. It also called for independent and thorough investigations into all allegations of violence, including alleged crimes related to gender-based violence and ill-treatment in detention centres, and for bringing perpetrators to justice.
Ghana
The Committee welcomed the adoption of the National Strategic Framework for the Elimination of Child Marriage 2017-2026, but remained concerned about the continued violations linked to harmful practices, including child marriage - particularly in the North East, Northern and Savannah regions, and the persistence of female genital mutilation, including cross-border cases. It called on the State Party to enforce existing legislation and implement the Strategic Framework with adequate resources, community engagement and girls' empowerment. It also recommended stronger surveillance and enforcement to eradicate female genital mutilation, including awareness-raising on its criminalisation and the prompt investigation, prosecution and punishment of perpetrators, including in cross-border cases.
The Committee raised a red flag about reports that children with disabilities were sometimes institutionalised or confined in "prayer camps", where they were deprived of food, water, education and medical care, and in some cases, even killed. It called for a human rights-based approach to disability, including harmonising legislation, prohibiting "prayer camps" and ensuring accountability for abuses. It also urged the State Party to develop a dedicated policy and strategy, and safeguard access to good-quality healthcare, including mental health, alongside sustained public awareness campaigns to combat stigma and harmful beliefs.
Malaysia
The Committee noted initiatives taken by the State Party to achieve universal birth registration, but was seriously concerned about persistent administrative barriers, as well as the lack of birth registration data, particularly for migrant and refugee communities. It also expressed concern about the fear of detention or deportation due to marital or immigration status that deters registration. It urged the State Party to ensure birth certificates for all children immediately after birth, regardless of the immigration status of the child or parents, and to adopt clear nationwide guidelines, covering remote and Indigenous communities.
The situation of asylum-seeking, refugee and migrant children also raised alarm, including immigration detention and barriers to accessing basic services. The Committee recommended legal and policy reforms to end immigration detention of children, and to accelerate alternatives to detention - prioritising family and community-based options. It also called for ensuring access to education, health and other essential services for all refugee, asylum-seeking, undocumented and stateless children. The Committee further recommended that Malaysia establish a firewall between service providers and immigration authorities, including by removing any requirement for health-care personnel to report undocumented persons.
Maldives
The Committee highlighted its concern over the pervasiveness of violence against children, including domestic violence, sexual and gender-based violence, abuse and neglect. It was also alarmed by social factors, including stigma and cultural taboos, that undermined prevention, timely reporting and effective response. It urged the State Party to effectively implement the National Action Plan for Prevention and Response to Violence against Children, prioritise the investigation and prosecution of adults who exploit children, and strengthen the capacity of law enforcement and social workers to prevent and respond to abuse. It also called for action to tackle stigma and harmful taboos by encouraging reporting and engaging community and island leaders, religious figures and the media.
The Committee was seriously concerned about rising mental health challenges among children and barriers to accessing adolescent sexual and reproductive health services. It called for the adoption of the Mental Health Bill and the development of a comprehensive child mental health strategy. It also urged the State Party to continue integrating mental health services into primary health care and to adopt a comprehensive adolescent sexual and reproductive health policy. This should include age-appropriate education in the mandatory school curriculum, with particular attention to preventing early pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
Pakistan
The Committee welcomed the increase in birth registration and fee waivers introduced in some provinces, but was seriously concerned about the alarmingly high number of unregistered children and barriers to birth registration, including outdated legislation, poor enforcement, and complex procedures. It also raised the lack of effective measures to ensure the birth registration of marginalised and disadvantaged children. It urged the State Party to amend its legislation and establish effective procedures so that birth certificates are issued to all children born in its territory immediately after birth. It also called for the abolition of all remaining birth registration fees.
The Committee was seriously concerned about the deportation of large numbers of Afghan children, including unaccompanied children, under the Illegal Foreigners' Repatriation Plan without individual risk assessments. It warned that these deportations exposed children to serious rights violations during detention and border crossings, including family separation, exploitation and abuse. It called on the State Party to adopt a national refugee law and establish an asylum system to register and provide longer-term solutions for refugee children, especially those from Afghanistan, and to uphold the principle of non-refoulement, including by reconsidering the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan under which children face serious risks.
Under the Optional Protocol, the Committee was seriously concerned about reports that children, particularly boys, are regularly subjected to sexual exploitation in touristic and religious sites, hotels and bus stops. It called for urgent measures to identify children especially at risk and assess the scope of exploitation. It also recommended that the State Party develop a national policy to prevent and respond to online child sexual exploitation and abuse and strengthen the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency. Finally, it urged the State party to ensure that all reported offences under the Optional Protocol are effectively investigated, and perpetrators prosecuted and punished with sanctions commensurate with the gravity of the crimes.
Spain
The Committee welcomed Spain's comprehensive child protection legislation against violence (Organic Law nº 8/2021) but was concerned by the lack of official data on cases of sexual violence against children in the family environment and territorial disparities and inequalities in prevention, detection and remedies. It also raised concerns about the increase in child sexual abuse and exploitation and weak coordination for child-friendly justice procedures, including low prosecution and conviction rates for abuse committed by Catholic Church personnel. It recommended that the State Party strengthen nationwide data collection and child-friendly justice responses across all territories through clear and adequate resourcing and timely child-sensitive procedures, including prompt investigations to avoid re-victimisation and ensure accountability.
Persistently high levels of child poverty and social exclusion, together with insufficient public investment in family and child benefits, also caused concern. The Committee was particularly alarmed by cumulative deprivation among children living in substandard housing and shanty settlements, including forced evictions without adequate alternatives, which disproportionately affected Roma children. It recommended a comprehensive, sufficiently resourced and child rights-based strategy to ensure an adequate standard of living for all children. This should include stronger income support and improved access to benefits, safeguards to prevent evictions of families with dependent children until adequate alternative housing is secured, and guaranteed equal access to basic utilities and essential services.
The above findings, officially named Concluding Observations, are now available on the session page.
